Assembly Bill 46 Moves Forward!

Skip Phair, Legislative Liaison

10 July 2023: 

We received resounding support from CA's Senate Military and Veterans Affairs Committee on Assembly Bill 46: The Military Services Retirement and Surviving Spouse Benefit Payment Act.   Josh Baker, CA Enlisted Association of National Guard and Ramona Chavez, Capt., USAF (ret) testified in front of the Committee, picking up Senator Archuleta as another co-sponsor.  You can find the testimony here, 

This is the furthest we've gotten yet!   But our biggest hurdle is in front of us - the Senate Appropriations Committee.  If we get their approval, we're off for Governor Newsom's signature.  So we need your support!  Please contact your legislative representative (below).  The anticipated Appropriations Hearing is August 14th – so they need to hear from you now!

Please share with all your Californian friends and family.

• Letter to Governor Newsom Assembly Bill 46
• Letter to Senate Appropriations Committee Chair
• Letter to Your CA Senator

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Through the concerted effort of Assemblymember Ramos, CALMOAA, and our membership, Assembly Bill 46  to exclude military service retirement pay and Survivors Benefit Pay form California income tax is making great progress.   The bill passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee and the California Assembly without a single negative vote sending it to the Senate.   On June 14th, the bill passed the Senate Governance and Finance Committee 7-0. Next hearing is July 10 with the Senate Military and Veterans Affairs Committee.  The remaining challenges will be the Senate Appropriations Committee (most likely on August 14) and Governor Gavin Newsom.

This is the time (especially July) for our membership to deluge the Senate Appropriations Committee chair, the committee members and the Governor’s Office with letters and emails encouraging passage of the tax exemption. Additionally, we need to ask our friends and members of the community, especially those who are not military retirees, to send in letters of support. The message continues to be that California is the only state which full taxes military and surviving benefits pay.

A crucial way we can influence the process is by writing letters of support. I kindly request that you submit a letter to show support for AB46 the Military Services Retirement and Surviving Spouse Benefit Payment Act.

Here's how:

Letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee

1. Hand deliver to the Committee office in State Capitol Room 412
2. Email the committee: sapr@sen.ca.gov
3. Mail to: Senate Appropriations Committee, California State Capitol, Room 412, Sacramento CA 95814
4. Mail to: Senate Appropriations Committee, California State Capitol, Room 412, Sacramento CA 95814

Letter to Governor Gavin Newsom

30 Seconds – Send an email Now!

Contact your representative:

• Look up your California Representatives: https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/
• Senate Appropriations Committee: https://sapro.senate.ca.gov/ 
• Governor Gavin Newsom:  https://www.gov.ca.gov/contact/

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We need your support in pushing out the information on Assembly Bill 46.   Please share with all your California friends and family!